Bit-holder



(No Model.)

J. SWAN.

BIT HOLDER.

N0.337,888. Patented Mar'. 16, 1886.

. QfM/ N fw llivTTnn STaTns PaTsivT @Tric JAMES SVAN, OF SEYMOUR, CONNECTICUT.

BIT-HOLDER.

ECIFIGATEON forming part of Letters-Patent No. 337,858, dated March 16, LELE,

Application tiled January 1, 1986.A Serial No. 187,363. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SWAN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Seymour, in the county of New Haven and State ot` Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BitsHolders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertanis to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to produce a device ot' this class which shall be adapted for holding bits in place in boxes for transportation, and shall also be adapted for holding them in place in workshops, or wherever they may be when notin use. lt is of course essential in devices of this class that they shall be simple and economical in construction, always ready for use, and practically impossible to get out of order. In order to accomplish these results, I have devised the novel bitholder, ot' which the following` description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, numbers being used to indicate the several parts.

Figure 1 is a plan view ot' a bit-box opened, showing my invention as applied in the packing` of bits tor transportation. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the box and bitshanks on the line w x in Fig. l.

1 indicates the box, and 2 bits. 3 is the bitholder, which is made of a piece of spring metal bent in the form shown-that is, provided with circular loops or sockets 4, which receive and closely embrace the shanks ofthe bits.

An important peculiarity of my construction is that the loops or sockets are so formed as to press upon considerably more than half the surface ot' the Shanksthat is to say, the holder is so formed that spring projections 5 partially close the openings into the sockets. These projections ot' course yield as the bits are forced in, then spring back into place, thus holding the shanks firmly within the loops or sockets. At the bottom of each loop or socket a hole is provided to receive a nail or screw, 7, by which the holder is secured in position. It will thus be seen that each socket is independent of the others, so that one, two, or any number of them may be used without affecting the others.

8 isa strip, to which the holder is secured `in any suitable manner. This stripl preferably niakeol'wood,asindicatedinFig.2,and provide curved recesses or depressions to receive the" loops or sockets, but made slightly larger than said loops or sockets. The curved sides ot' these depressions act to support the loops or sockets. They are made sutticiently wide to allow the projections to open to receive the bit-shanks, but at the same time support the holderjnst at the point where support is most needed.

By rising strips with the curved depressions I am enabled to make the springholders otl much lighter metal than would otherwise be necessary, and at the same time to secure equally satisfactory results.

'Vhen used in packing bits tor transportation, the shank ot each bit is pressed into a socket, and the bit is given two or three turns to engage the point thereot', or gimlet, with the wood ot' the box, as is clearly indicated in Fig. l.

I have found in practice that no matter how much the boxes are tumbled about in trans portation the bits never become loose.

.Vhen placed against a wall as a holder for bits in a workshop, or in any similar use, the holder may be used without any backing, in Eig. et, with the metallic backing, as in Fig. 3, or with the backing having the curved depressions, as in Fig. 2.

Then used for holdingaugers or large-sized bits, the latter l'orm will be found preferable.

Variations in the details ot' construction may of course be made, within reasonable limits, without departing from the spirit ot' my invention.

I Claiml. A bit-holder consisting ot' a strip of metal bent to form loops or sockets to receive the shanks, and having the openings to said loops or sockets partially closed by spring projections 5, and a backing provided with curved depressions, in which the loops or sockets are secured, and which form a support therefor.

2. The combination, with a metallic strip bent to form projections 5, and loops or sockets 4, which are provided with holes at their bottoms, of a backing having depressions, in which the loops or sockets are secured by screws 7, and whose curved sides serve as a IOO In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES SWAN.

Witnesses GHAs. E. FAIRCHILD, HENRY J. SMITH. 

